System and Method for Blind Selection of Plural Selectable Elements Prior to a Reveal in a Wagering Game

ABSTRACT

A method for conducting a wagering game on a wagering game device includes using one or more processors to define, in a game feature, a plurality of selectable elements, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards. The method also includes receiving player selections of the selectable elements, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements. The method further includes revealing the selectable element awards only after all player selections of the selectable elements have been received and awarding to the player any selectable element awards relating to any selected selectable elements.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/357,838, filed Jun. 23, 2010, and titled “System and Method for Blind Selection of Plural Selectable Elements Prior to a Reveal in a Wagering Game,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

COPYRIGHT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to wagering game methods and related wagering game apparatuses and systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options.

When conducting a wagering game, a player receives an individual award if a winning outcome is achieved. For example, in a traditional reel-based wagering game, a winning outcome is achieved if a particular, predetermined combination of symbols occurs on the reels along an active pay line upon which a player has lodged a wager. The award corresponding to that predetermined combination of symbols and often the level of the wager itself along the associated active pay line is then awarded to the player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for conducting a wagering game on a wagering game device includes using one or more processors to define, in a game feature, a plurality of selectable elements, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards. The method also includes receiving player selections of the selectable elements, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements. The method further includes revealing the selectable element awards only after all player selections of the selectable elements have been received and awarding to the player any selectable element awards relating to any selected selectable elements.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for conducting a wagering game on a wagering game device includes the acts of, using one or more processors, defining in a game feature a plurality of selectable elements, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards and defining in the game feature one or more predefined underlying patterns, the predefined underlying patterns being associated with predefined underlying pattern awards. The method further includes receiving player selections of the selectable elements, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements and awarding to the player an award relating to any award associated with any selected selectable elements and relating to any award associated with any selected predefined underlying pattern of selectable elements.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a computer readable storage media is encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the above methods.

In yet other aspects, a gaming system configured to play a wagering and a game feature, comprises a display device and at least one controller in communication with the display device, the controller being operative to execute instructions borne by a physical storage medium. The instructions causing the controller to perform, upon execution, the acts of defining in a game feature activated by the wagering game outcome a plurality of selectable elements, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards, defining in the game feature one or more predefined underlying patterns, the predefined underlying patterns being associated with predefined underlying pattern awards. The instructions causing the controller to perform, upon execution, the acts of receiving player selections of the selectable elements, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements and awarding to the player an award relating to any award associated with any selected selectable elements and relating to any award associated with any selected predefined underlying pattern of selectable elements.

Additional aspects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a free-standing gaming terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a gaming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an image of an example of a wagering game screen adapted to be displayed on a display of a wagering game machine.

FIGS. 4 a-4 p are rudimentary representations of a wagering game display depicting at least some aspects of an embodiment according to the present concepts.

While the present concepts are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the present concepts are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the present concepts are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present concepts such as, but not limited to, those concepts defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the present concepts is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the present concepts with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the present concepts and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the present concepts to the embodiments illustrated.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a gaming terminal 10 similar to those used in gaming establishments, such as casinos. With regard to the present invention, the gaming terminal 10 may be any type of gaming terminal and may have varying structures and methods of operation. For example, in some aspects, the gaming terminal 10 is be an electromechanical gaming terminal configured to play mechanical slots, whereas in other aspects, the gaming terminal is an electronic gaming terminal configured to play a video casino game, such as slots, keno, poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, etc. It should be understood that although the gaming terminal 10 is shown as a free-standing terminal of the upright type, the gaming terminal is readily amenable to implementation in a wide variety of other forms such as a free-standing terminal of the slant-top type, a portable or handheld device primarily used for gaming, such as is disclosed by way of example in PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2007/000792 filed Jan. 26, 2007, titled “Handheld Device for Wagering Games,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a mobile telecommunications device such as a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA), a counter-top or bar-top gaming terminal, or other personal electronic device, such as a portable television, MP3 player, entertainment device, etcetera.

The gaming terminal 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a cabinet or housing 12. For output devices, this embodiment of the gaming terminal 10 includes a primary display area 14, a secondary display area 16, and one or more audio speakers 18. The primary display area 14 and/or secondary display area 16 variously displays information associated with wagering games, non-wagering games, community games, progressives, advertisements, services, premium entertainment, text messaging, emails, alerts or announcements, broadcast information, subscription information, etc. appropriate to the particular mode(s) of operation of the gaming terminal. For input devices, the gaming terminal 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a bill validator 20, a coin acceptor 22, one or more information readers 24, one or more player-input devices 26, and one or more player-accessible ports 28 (e.g., an audio output jack for headphones, a video headset jack, a wireless transmitter/receiver, etc.). While these typical components found in the gaming terminal 10 are described below, it should be understood that numerous other peripheral devices and other elements exist and are readily utilizable in any number of combinations to create various forms of a gaming terminal in accord with the present concepts.

The primary display area 14 include, in various aspects of the present concepts, a mechanical-reel display, a video display, or a combination thereof in which a transmissive video display is disposed in front of the mechanical-reel display to portray a video image in superposition over the mechanical-reel display. Further information concerning the latter construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433 to Loose et al. entitled “Reel Spinning Slot Machine With Superimposed Video Image,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The video display is, in various embodiments, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a high-resolution liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, a light emitting diode (LED), a DLP projection display, an electroluminescent (EL) panel, or any other type of display suitable for use in the gaming terminal 10, or other form factor, such as is shown by way of example in FIG. 1. The primary display area 14 includes, in relation to many aspects of wagering games conducted on the gaming terminal 10, one or more paylines 30 (see FIG. 3) extending along a portion of the primary display area. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the primary display area 14 comprises a plurality of mechanical reels 32 and a video display 34, such as a transmissive display (or a reflected image arrangement in other embodiments), in front of the mechanical reels 32. If the wagering game conducted via the gaming terminal 10 relies upon the video display 34 only and not the mechanical reels 32, the mechanical reels 32 are optionally removed from the interior of the terminal and the video display 34 is advantageously of a non-transmissive type. Similarly, if the wagering game conducted via the gaming terminal 10 relies only upon the mechanical reels 32, but not the video display 34, the video display 34 depicted in FIG. 1 is replaced with a conventional glass panel. Further, in still other embodiments, the video display 34 is disposed to overlay another video display, rather than a mechanical-reel display, such that the primary display area 14 includes layered or superimposed video displays. In yet other embodiments, the mechanical-reel display of the above-noted embodiments is replaced with another mechanical or physical member or members such as, but not limited to, a mechanical wheel (e.g., a roulette game), dice, a pachinko board, or a diorama presenting a three-dimensional model of a game environment.

Video images in the primary display area 14 and/or the secondary display area 16 are rendered in two-dimensional (e.g., using Flash Macromedia™) or three-dimensional graphics (e.g., using Renderware™). In various aspects, the video images are played back (e.g., from a recording stored on the gaming terminal 10), streamed (e.g., from a gaming network), or received as a TV signal (e.g., either broadcast or via cable) and such images can take different forms, such as animated images, computer-generated images, or “real-life” images, either prerecorded (e.g., in the case of marketing/promotional material) or as live footage. The format of the video images can include any format including, but not limited to, an analog format, a standard digital format, or a high-definition (HD) digital format.

The player-input or user-input device(s) 26 include, by way of example, a plurality of buttons 36 on a button panel, as shown in FIG. 1, a mouse, a joy stick, a switch, a microphone, and/or a touch screen 38 mounted over the primary display area 14 and/or the secondary display area 16 and having one or more soft touch keys 40, as is also shown in FIG. 1. In still other aspects, the player-input devices 26 comprise technologies that do not rely upon physical contact between the player and the gaming terminal, such as speech-recognition technology, gesture-sensing technology, eye-tracking technology, etc. The player-input or user-input device(s) 26 thus accept(s) player input(s) and transforms the player input(s) to electronic data signals indicative of a player input or inputs corresponding to an enabled feature for such input(s) at a time of activation (e.g., pressing a “Max Bet” button or soft key to indicate a player's desire to place a maximum wager to play the wagering game). The input(s), once transformed into electronic data signals, are output to a CPU or controller 42 (see FIG. 2) for processing. The electronic data signals are selected from a group consisting essentially of an electrical current, an electrical voltage, an electrical charge, an optical signal, an optical element, a magnetic signal, and a magnetic element.

The information reader 24 (or information reader/writer) is preferably located on the front of the housing 12 and comprises, in at least some forms, a ticket reader, card reader, bar code scanner, wireless transceiver (e.g., RFID, Bluetooth, etc.), biometric reader, or computer-readable-storage-medium interface. As noted, the information reader may comprise a physical and/or electronic writing element to permit writing to a ticket, a card, or computer-readable-storage-medium. The information reader 24 permits information to be transmitted from a portable medium (e.g., ticket, voucher, coupon, casino card, smart card, debit card, credit card, etc.) to the information reader 24 to enable the gaming terminal 10 or associated external system to access an account associated with cashless gaming, to facilitate player tracking or game customization, to retrieve a saved-game state, to store a current-game state, to cause data transfer, and/or to facilitate access to casino services, such as is more fully disclosed, by way of example, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0045354 entitled “Portable Data Unit for Communicating With Gaming Machine Over Wireless Link,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The noted account associated with cashless gaming is, in some aspects of the present concepts, stored at an external system 46 (see FIG. 2) as more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,328 to Holch et al. entitled “Cashless Computerized Video Game System and Method,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, or is alternatively stored directly on the portable storage medium. Various security protocols or features can be used to enhance security of the portable storage medium. For example, in some aspects, the individual carrying the portable storage medium is required to enter a secondary independent authenticator (e.g., password, PIN number, biometric, etc.) to access the account stored on the portable storage medium.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the various components of the gaming terminal 10 are controlled by one or more processors (e.g., CPU, distributed processors, etc.) 42, also referred to herein generally as a controller (e.g., microcontroller, microprocessor, etc.). The controller 42 can include any suitable processor(s), such as an Intel® Pentium processor, Intel® Core 2 Duo processor, AMD Opteron™ processor, or UltraSPARC® processor. By way of example, the controller 42 includes a plurality of microprocessors including a master processor, a slave processor, and a secondary or parallel processor. Controller 42, as used herein, comprises any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware disposed in and/or disposed outside of the gaming terminal 10 that is configured to communicate with and/or control the transfer of data between the gaming terminal 10 and a bus, another computer, processor, or device and/or a service and/or a network. The controller 42 comprises one or more controllers or processors and such one or more controllers or processors need not be disposed proximal to one another and may be located in different devices and/or in different locations. For example, a first processor is disposed proximate a user interface device (e.g., a push button panel, a touch screen display, etc.) and a second processor is disposed remotely from the first processor, the first and second processors being electrically connected through a network. As another example, the first processor is disposed in a first enclosure (e.g., a gaming machine) and a second processor is disposed in a second enclosure (e.g., a server) separate from the first enclosure, the first and second processors being communicatively connected through a network. The controller 42 is operable to execute all of the various gaming methods and other processes disclosed herein.

To provide gaming functions, the controller 42 executes one or more game programs comprising machine-executable instructions stored in local and/or remote computer-readable data storage media (e.g., memory 44 or other suitable storage device). The term computer-readable data storage media, or “computer-readable medium,” as used herein refers to any media/medium that participates in providing instructions to controller 42 for execution. The computer-readable medium comprises, in at least some exemplary forms, non-volatile media (e.g., optical disks, magnetic disks, etc.), volatile media (e.g., dynamic memory, RAM), and transmission media (e.g., coaxial cables, copper wire, fiber optics, radio frequency (RF) data communication, infrared (IR) data communication, etc). Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a hard disk, magnetic tape (or other magnetic medium), a 2-D or 3-D optical disc (e.g., a CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or solid state digital data storage device, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read. By way of example, a plurality of storage media or devices are provided, a first storage device being disposed proximate the user interface device and a second storage device being disposed remotely from the first storage device, wherein a network is connected intermediate the first one and second one of the storage devices.

Various forms of computer-readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to controller 42 for execution. By way of example, the instructions may initially be borne on a data storage device of a remote device (e.g., a remote computer, server, or system). The remote device can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line or other communication path using a modem or other communication device appropriate to the communication path. A modem or other communication device local to the gaming machine 10 or to an external system 46 associated with the gaming machine can receive the data on the telephone line or conveyed through the communication path (e.g., via external systems interface 58) and output the data to a bus, which transmits the data to the system memory 44 associated with the processor 42, from which system memory the processor retrieves and executes the instructions.

Thus, the controller 42 is able to send and receive data, via carrier signals, through the network(s), network link, and communication interface. The data includes, in various examples, instructions, commands, program code, player data, and game data. As to the game data, in at least some aspects of the present concepts, the controller 42 uses a local random number generator (RNG) to randomly generate a wagering game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes. Alternatively, the outcome is centrally determined using either an RNG or pooling scheme at a remote controller included, for example, within the external system 46.

As shown in the example of FIG. 2, the controller 42 is coupled to the system memory 44. The system memory 44 is shown to comprise a volatile memory (e.g., a random-access memory (RAM)) and a non-volatile memory (e.g., an EEPROM), but optionally includes multiple RAM and multiple program memories.

As shown in the example of FIG. 2, the controller 42 is also coupled to a money/credit detector 48. The money/credit detector 48 is configured to output a signal the controller 42 that money and/or credits have been input via one or more value-input devices, such as the bill validator 20, coin acceptor 22, or via other sources, such as a cashless gaming account, etc. The value-input device(s) is integrated with the housing 12 of the gaming terminal 10 and is connected to the remainder of the components of the gaming terminal 10, as appropriate, via a wired connection, such as I/O 56, or wireless connection. The money/credit detector 48 detects the input of valid funds into the gaming terminal 10 (e.g., via currency, electronic funds, ticket, card, etc.) via the value-input device(s) and outputs a signal to the controller 42 carrying data regarding the input value of the valid funds. The controller 42 extracts the data from these signals from the money/credit detector 48, analyzes the associated data, and transforms the data corresponding to the input value into an equivalent credit balance that is available to the player for subsequent wagers on the gaming terminal 10, such transforming of the data being effected by software, hardware, and/or firmware configured to associate the input value to an equivalent credit value. Where the input value is already in a credit value form, such as in a cashless gaming account having stored therein a credit value, the wager is simply deducted from the available credit balance.

As seen in FIG. 2, the controller 42 is also connected to, and controls, the primary display area 14, the player-input device(s) 26, and a payoff mechanism 50. The payoff mechanism 50 is operable in response to instructions from the controller 42 to award a payoff to the player in response to certain winning outcomes that occur in the base game, the bonus game(s), or via an external game or event. The payoff is provided in the form of money, credits, redeemable points, advancement within a game, access to special features within a game, services, another exchangeable media, or any combination thereof. Although payoffs may be paid out in coins and/or currency bills, payoffs are alternatively associated with a coded ticket (from a ticket printer 52), a portable storage medium or device (e.g., a card magnetic strip), or are transferred to or transmitted to a designated player account. The payoff amounts distributed by the payoff mechanism 50 are determined by one or more pay tables stored in the system memory 44.

Communications between the controller 42 and both the peripheral components of the gaming terminal 10 and the external system 46 occur through input/output (I/O) circuit 56, which can include any suitable bus technologies, such as an AGTL+ frontside bus and a PCI backside bus. Although the I/O circuit 56 is shown as a single block, it should be appreciated that the I/O circuit 56 alternatively includes a number of different types of I/O circuits. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the components of the gaming terminal 10 can be interconnected according to any suitable interconnection architecture (e.g., directly connected, hypercube, etc.).

The I/O circuit 56 is connected to an external system interface or communication device 58, which is connected to the external system 46. The controller 42 communicates with the external system 46 via the external system interface 58 and a communication path (e.g., serial, parallel, IR, RC, 10bT, near field, etc.). The external system 46 includes, in various aspects, a gaming network, other gaming terminals, a gaming server, a remote controller, communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or components, in any combination. In yet other aspects, the external system 46 may comprise a player's portable electronic device (e.g., cellular phone, electronic wallet, etc.) and the external system interface 58 is configured to facilitate wireless communication and data transfer between the portable electronic device and the controller 42, such as by a near field communication path operating via magnetic field induction or a frequency-hopping spread spectrum RF signals (e.g., Bluetooth, etc.).

The gaming terminal 10 optionally communicates with external system 46 (in a wired or wireless manner) such that each terminal operates as a “thin client” having relatively less functionality, a “thick client” having relatively more functionality, or with any range of functionality therebetween (e.g., an “intermediate client”). In general, a wagering game includes an RNG for generating a random number, game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number, and game assets (e.g., art, sound, etc.) for presenting the determined outcome to a player in an audio-visual manner. The RNG, game logic, and game assets are contained within the gaming terminal 10 (“thick client” gaming terminal), the external systems 46 (“thin client” gaming terminal), or are distributed therebetween in any suitable manner (“intermediate client” gaming terminal).

Referring now to FIG. 3, an image of a basic-game screen 60 adapted to be displayed on the primary display area 14 is illustrated, according to one embodiment of the present concepts. A player begins play of a basic wagering game by providing a wager. A player can operate or interact with the wagering game using the one or more player-input devices 26. The controller 42, the external system 46, or both, in alternative embodiments, operate(s) to execute a wagering game program causing the primary display area 14 to display the wagering game that includes a plurality of visual elements.

In accord with various methods of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system in accord with the present concepts, the wagering game includes a game sequence in which a player makes a wager, such as through the money/credit detector 48, touch screen 38 soft key, button panel, or the like, and a wagering game outcome is associated with the wager. The wagering game outcome is then revealed to the player in due course following initiation of the wagering game. The method comprises the acts of conducting the wagering game using a gaming apparatus, such as the gaming terminal 10 depicted in FIG. 1, following receipt of an input from the player to initiate the wagering game. The gaming terminal 10 then communicates the wagering game outcome to the player via one or more output devices (e.g., primary display 14) through the display of information such as, but not limited to, text, graphics, text and graphics, static images, moving images, etc., or any combination thereof. In accord with the method of conducting the wagering game, the controller 42, which comprises one or more processors, transforms a physical player input, such as a player's pressing of a “Spin Reels” soft key 84 (see FIG. 3), into an electronic data signal indicative of an instruction relating to the wagering game (e.g., an electronic data signal bearing data on a wager amount).

In the aforementioned method, for each data signal, the controller 42 is configured to processes the electronic data signal, to interpret the data signal (e.g., data signals corresponding to a wager input), and to cause further actions associated with the interpretation of the signal in accord with computer instructions relating to such further actions executed by the controller. As one example, the controller 42 causes the recording of a digital representation of the wager in one or more storage devices (e.g., system memory 44 or a memory associated with an external system 46), the controller, in accord with associated computer instructions, causing the changing of a state of the data storage device from a first state to a second state. This change in state is, for example, effected by changing a magnetization pattern on a magnetically coated surface of a magnetic storage device or changing a magnetic state of a ferromagnetic surface of a magneto-optical disc storage device, a change in state of transistors or capacitors in a volatile or a non-volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., DRAM), etc.). The noted second state of the data storage device comprises storage in the storage device of data representing the electronic data signal from the controller (e.g., the wager in the present example). As another example, the controller 42 further, in accord with the execution of the instructions relating to the wagering game, causes the primary display 14 or other display device and/or other output device (e.g., speakers, lights, communication device, etc.), to change from a first state to at least a second state, wherein the second state of the primary display comprises a visual representation of the physical player input (e.g., an acknowledgement to a player), information relating to the physical player input (e.g., an indication of the wager amount), a game sequence, an outcome of the game sequence, or any combination thereof, wherein the game sequence in accord with the present concepts comprises acts described herein. The aforementioned executing of computer instructions relating to the wagering game is further conducted in accord with a random outcome (e.g., determined by the RNG) that is used by the controller 42 to determine the outcome of the game sequence, using a game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number. In at least some aspects, the controller 42 is configured to determine an outcome of the game sequence at least partially in response to the random parameter.

The basic-game screen 60 is displayed on the primary display area 14 or a portion thereof. In FIG. 3, the basic-game screen 60 portrays a plurality of simulated movable reels 62 a-62 e. Alternatively or additionally, the basic-game screen 60 portrays a plurality of mechanical reels or other video or mechanical presentation consistent with the game format and theme. The basic-game screen 60 also advantageously displays one or more game-session meters and various buttons adapted to be actuated by a player.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the game-session meters include a “credit” meter 64 for displaying a number of credits available for play on the terminal; a “lines” meter 66 for displaying a number of paylines to be played by a player on the terminal; a “line bet” meter 68 for displaying a number of credits wagered (e.g., from 1 to 5 or more credits) for each of the number of paylines played; a “total bet” meter 70 for displaying a total number of credits wagered for the particular round of wagering; and a “paid” meter 72 for displaying an amount to be awarded based on the results of the particular round's wager. The depicted user-selectable buttons include a “collect” button 74 to collect the credits remaining in the credits meter 64; a “help” button 76 for viewing instructions on how to play the wagering game; a “pay table” button 78 for viewing a pay table associated with the basic wagering game; a “select lines” button 80 for changing the number of paylines (displayed in the lines meter 66) a player wishes to play; a “bet per line” button 82 for changing the amount of the wager which is displayed in the line-bet meter 68; a “spin reels” button 84 for moving the reels 62 a-e; and a “max bet spin” button 86 for wagering a maximum number of credits and moving the reels 62 a-e of the basic wagering game. While the gaming terminal 10 allows for these types of player inputs, the present invention does not require them and can be used on gaming terminals having more, less, or different player inputs.

As shown in the example of FIG. 3, paylines 30 extend from one of the payline indicators 88 a-i on the left side of the basic-game screen 60 to a corresponding one of the payline indicators 88 a-i on the right side of the screen 60. A plurality of symbols 90 is displayed on the plurality of reels 62 a-e to indicate possible outcomes of the basic wagering game. A winning combination occurs when the displayed symbols 90 correspond to one of the winning symbol combinations listed in a pay table stored in the memory 44 of the terminal 10 or in the external system 46. The symbols 90 may include any appropriate graphical representation or animation, and may further include a “blank” symbol.

Symbol combinations are evaluated in accord with various schemes such as, but not limited to, “line pays” or “scatter pays.” Line pays are evaluated left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, or any combination thereof by evaluating the number, type, or order of symbols 90 appearing along an activated payline 30. Scatter pays are evaluated without regard to position or paylines and only require that such combination appears anywhere on the reels 62 a-e. While an embodiment with nine paylines is shown, a wagering game with no paylines, a single payline, or any plurality of paylines will also work with the present invention. Additionally, though an embodiment with five reels is shown in FIG. 3, different embodiments of the gaming terminal 10 comprise a greater or lesser number of reels in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 4 a-4 p show rudimentary representations of a wagering-game display (not shown) depicting at least some aspects of an embodiment according to the present concepts. FIGS. 4 a-4 p show an 8×8 matrix of selectable elements 110 wherein, in the discussion below, the selectable elements 110 will be designated in relation to the row and column occupied by the selectable element 110. The bottom row is denoted as row 1, the top row is denoted as row 8, the leftmost column is denoted as column 1, and the rightmost column is denoted as column 8. More succinctly, the following discussion may alternatively use the notation 110 _(x,y), where x represents the row number and y represents the column number, to indicate the row number and the column number of the selectable element(s) discussed. Thus, in FIG. 4 a, an “X” mark is shown in selectable element 110 _(1,4), indicating that a player has selected the selectable element in the first row and the fourth column.

As indicated by the arrows to the right of rows 1 and 8, column 8, these are the first row (i.e., the starting point) and the last row (i.e., the ending point), respectively, for a game feature in accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts. In one aspect of the present concepts, the population of or range of values or awards that may be randomly associated with the selectable elements 110 have an equal or substantially equal probability of being applied to any particular selectable element without regard to the position of the selectable element relative to the starting point(s) and ending point(s) of the game feature. For example, each selectable element is associated with a value randomly selected in the same manner as every other selectable element. In another aspect of the present concepts, the population of or range of values or awards that may be randomly associated with one or more selectable elements 110 of a first group (e.g., selectable elements of a first rank) are higher than the population of or range of values or awards that may be randomly associated with one or more selectable elements of a second group (e.g., selectable elements of a second rank lower than the first rank). As one example, the population of or range of values of awards for selectable elements of a higher rank (e.g., row 6 in FIG. 4 m) are randomly selected from a range of 20 credits to 150 credits, whereas the population of or range of values of awards for selectable elements of a lower rank (e.g., row 3 in FIG. 4 m) are randomly selected from a range of 10 credits to 80 credits. Of course, these ranges and values are merely examples and are in no way intended to limit the concepts disclosed herein which could include any values and any ranges.

In combination with, or separately from, the above-noted optional weighting of the population of values or awards toward groups of a higher rank, the number of game-ending outcomes 120 (whether a fixed number, randomly determined, or determined in association with a variable such as wager or an aspect of game play) to be associated with the available selectable elements 110 may optionally be weighted so that the distribution of such game-ending outcomes 120 are statistically more likely to occur in selectable elements 110 having a higher rank or ranks than in selectable elements of a lower rank or ranks. Thus, a player would be presented with not only a potentially higher award when selecting selectable elements 110 of higher rank, but would also be simultaneously challenged by the imposition of a higher risk. Alternatively, the game-ending outcomes 120 may be randomly distributed.

The value of the awards ultimately achieved by the player can be influenced by the length of the path in one of two ways. First, in accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts, a player is awarded the awards associated with the selected selectable elements 110 following the ending of the game feature, whether by ending the game feature via the selection of a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome 120 (see FIG. 4 l) or successful completion of the game feature by navigating to the ending point (e.g., row 8 in the illustrated example) for the game feature, the player may generally expect to increase his or her award by higher numbers of successful picks of the selectable elements. Thus, the player is motivated to “stay alive” and get to the ending point of the game feature, however, such ending point is defined (e.g., row 8 in FIG. 4 a). By way of example, in the illustrated embodiment, the minimum number of squares that a player could select to traverse from row 1 (start) to row 8 (end) would be eight selectable elements. If the player selects nine selectable elements, he or she would have the potential to increase their award, but would also incur an increased risk of selecting a game-ending outcome 120. In this manner, the player can influence the volatility of their own game. Additional variants are also contemplated as falling within the present concepts, such as the application of an increasing multiplier to the path traversed by the player as the length of the path increases, for either weighted or unweighted award scenarios (e.g., the 10^(th) and 11^(th) picks receives a 2× multiplier, the 12^(th)-13^(th) picks receive a 3× multiplier, etc.; a multiplier is applied to a value of all of the awards conferred, the value of the multiplier increasing with each pick after the 8^(th) pick or other predetermined number of picks, etc.).

In accord with another aspect of the present concepts, the award values associated with the selectable elements on the top row (e.g., row 8 in FIG. 4 a) are variable and are influenced by the length of the path of selectable elements 110 selected by the player. A visual indicator, such as a meter, shows the relative values of the award values associated with the selectable elements on the top row from a base value to a maximum value. The base value (e.g., randomly selected values within a base range of values) corresponds to a minimum path length (e.g., 8 selectable elements 110 in the example of FIGS. 4 a-4 o—straight up from row 1 to row 8). The top award value (e.g., randomly selected values within a maximum range of values) corresponds to a predetermined maximum path length (e.g., 20 selectable elements 110 in the example of FIGS. 4 a-4 o). Thus, if a player seeks to minimize risk and selects a minimum number of squares, or selects a number of squares within a predetermined range, the award values associated with the selectable elements 110 on the top row remain set at the base value. If, however, the player deviates from a straight path, accepting more risk or volatility, then the meter starts to visual display to the player that the award values associated with the selectable elements 110 on the top row are increasing toward the top award value. By way of example, the base value may indicate that the range of values for the selectable elements on the top row are between 25 to 200 credits, whereas a mid-range path length may indicate that the range of values for the selectable elements on the top row are between 35 to 300 credits, and the top award range of values for the selectable elements on the top row are between 50 to 400 credits. Of course, as noted herein, a player is free in many aspects of the present concepts to “start over” and change their selectable element selections at any time prior to the final reveal so that they may get the path of selectable element selections exactly as they like it.

In another aspect, one the awards associated with one or more of the selectable elements 110 is configured to add a new row or column or the like to the selection field or to permit the player to move to yet another selection field. For example, a selectable element (e.g., 110 _(2,5)) is randomly associated with an award that, if selected, would upon the player's selection of any selectable element in the last row (e.g., 110 _(8,2)), cause the appearance of a new row (i.e., row 9), at which point game play would continue and the player could select another selectable element in row 8 adjacent the previously selected selectable element or could proceed to select an adjacent element in row 9. In another aspect, an award associated with a selectable element 110 in row 8 is configured to continue game play for the player and leads the player to another selection field which may be the same as the prior selection field or may be a different selection field and/or present a different objective. In still another variant, an award associated with a selectable element 110 in row 8 is configured to continue game play for the player by presenting a different geometric constraint on selections to thereby permit the player to reverse direction and continue the path back toward the beginning, perhaps simultaneously clearing one or more game-ending outcomes (or other detrimental outcomes) from the field of selectable elements.

In yet other aspects, an award associated with completion of a predefined underlying predefined underlying pattern 200 is configured to add a new row or column or the like to the selection field or to permit the player to move to yet another selection field. For example, a predefined underlying pattern 200 (e.g., a battleship in a Battleship®-type game feature that is associated with selectable elements 110 _(2,5), 110 _(3,5), 110 _(4,5), and 110 _(5,5)) is associated with an award that, if the predefined underlying pattern 200 is completed by the player's selection of selectable elements 110 _(2,5), 110 _(3,5), 110 _(4,5), and 110 _(5,5), the game feature may continue into another row or rows or into another selection field.

With the above-noted nomenclature, FIG. 4 a is also shown to have therein a selectable element 110 _(1,4) that was selected by a player and is indicated by an “X” and highlighted selectable elements 110 _(1,3), 110 _(1,5), 110 _(2,3), 110 _(2,4), and 110 _(2,5) adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(1,4). In accord with this example, the selection of any of the selectable elements 110 _(x,y) causes the highlighting of adjacent selectable elements of the same row (x) or the next higher row (x+1) to thereby geometrically limit the player's pattern selection. The player's picks, subsequent to the first pick, are geometrically connected to the previous pick. Thus, for a selected selectable element 110 _(x,y), the elements 110 _(x,y−1), 110 _(x,y+1), 110 _(x+1,y−1), 110 _(x+1,y), and 110 _(x+1,y+1) would be highlighted as applicable, such as where fewer selectable elements would be highlighted near boundary regions. In accord with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 a-4 p, the player is not permitted to move “down” to a lower valued row, such as from row 2 to row 1, or alternatively back toward the starting point, however defined. In other embodiments, players may be permitted to move freely from selectable element to any adjacent selectable element that was not previously selected. Although the depicted example shows that the geometric limitations of a player's pick to the previous picks is one of available adjacent and equal or higher ranked selectable elements, the geometric connection to the previous pick, or geometric constraint, may consist of a different geometric connection or constraint than that illustrated as is, moreover, adaptable to the particular arrangement of the selectable elements. By way of illustration, a player may be permitted to select a non-adjacent selectable element to skip over one adjacent selectable element or an obstacle adjacent the previously selected selectable element. In additional, or alternatively thereto, the present concepts may also (or alternatively) impose temporal constraints on selection of selectable elements.

As shown in FIG. 4 a, the selectable element 110 _(1,4) selected by the player is indicated by an “X” or other indicator indicating selection by the player, such as an altered color, altered texture, altered border, or the like. However, the value associated with the selectable element 110 _(1,4) is not revealed. In accord with the embodiment represented in FIGS. 4 a-4 p, and at least some other aspects disclosed herein, there is no reveal of any selected elements 110 until the player has selected an entire, continuous path of selectable elements from row 1 to row 8, or from another designated starting point to another designated ending point.

In the embodiment represented in FIGS. 4 a-4 p, if the player selects a selectable element 110 that is associated with a “stopper,” “pooper,” or other game feature ending outcome, however termed, the game feature ends. A representation of a stopper 120 is shown in FIG. 4 m, discussed below. Upon completion of the game feature or termination of the game feature, the awards associated with the selected selectable elements 110 that were selected prior to selecting a stopper are awarded to the player. Alternatively, the player may receive no award or a consolation award. Clearly, where a player is awarded the awards associated with the selected selectable elements 110 following the ending of the game feature, whether by ending of the game feature, by selection of a selectable element associated with a game feature ending outcome, or successful completion of the game feature by navigating to the ending point (e.g., row 8 in the illustrated example) for the game feature, the player may generally expect to increase his or her award by higher numbers of successful picks of the selectable elements, as noted above.

Continuing with the example represented in FIGS. 4 a-4 p, FIG. 4 b shows that the player selected selectable element 110 _(2,5), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(2,4), 110 _(3,4), 110 _(3,5), 110 _(3,6), and 110 _(2,6) adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(2,5). Thus, on the next selection, the player may select one of the selectable elements 110 _(2,4), 110 _(3,4), 110 _(3,5), 110 _(3,6), and 110 _(2,6). As shown in FIG. 4 c, the player selected selectable element 110 _(3,4), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(3,3), 110 _(4,3), 110 _(4,4), 110 _(4,5), and 110 _(3,5) adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(3,4) are highlighted. On the next selection, the player may select one of the selectable elements 110 _(3,3), 110 _(4,3), 110 _(4,4), 110 _(4,5), and 110 _(3,5). FIG. 4 d shows that the player selected selectable element 110 _(3,3), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(3,2), 110 _(4,2), 110 _(4,3), and 110 _(4,4) adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(3,3) are highlighted. FIG. 4 e shows that the player selected selectable element 110 _(3,2), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(3,1), 110 _(4,1), and 110 _(4,2) are then highlighted.

Continuing on, FIG. 4 f shows that the player selected selectable element 110 _(4,1), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(5,1), 110 _(5,2), and 110 _(4,2), adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(4,1) are highlighted. FIG. 4 g shows that the player then selected selectable element 110 _(5,1), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(6,1), 110 _(6,2), and 110 _(5,2), adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(5,1) are highlighted. FIG. 4 h shows that the player then selected selectable element 110 _(6,2), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(6,1), 110 _(7,1), 110 _(7,2), 110 _(7,3), and 110 _(6,3), adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(6,2) are highlighted. FIG. 4 i shows that the player selected selectable element 110 _(7,3), as is indicated by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(7,2), 110 _(8,2), 110 _(8,3), 110 _(8,4), and 110 _(7,4) adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(7,3) are highlighted and will be available for the player's next selection. Next, FIG. 4 j shows the selectable element 110 _(7,4) highlighted by an “X,” and selectable elements 110 _(8,3), 110 _(8,4), 110 _(8,5), and 110 _(7,5) adjacent the selected selectable element 110 _(7,4) are highlighted and will be available for the player's next selection. FIG. 4 k shows that the player selected selectable element 110 _(8,5), which is then highlighted by an “X,” and the player selections are then complete. In one aspect, the selection of any selectable element 110 in the last row, or other designated end point, automatically terminates the player's ability to alter the prior (and current) selection and may optionally be proceeded by a display of a player prompt prior to effectuation of the player's request, asking the player if they are sure that they are aware that confirmation will effect the selection of the final selectable element and completion of the game feature. If the player desires to alter the prior selections, the player is permitted to do so using player inputs through one or more of the player interfaces. In another aspect, following a player's final selection of a selectable element, the player is asked to confirm that they are satisfied with their selections, with the display of a renewed field of selectable elements should the player indicate that they are somehow not satisfied with their selections. In yet other aspects, the player may optionally be provided with a “do over” or “backspace” button, or the like, to permit the player to make changes to one or more selections at any time during game play prior to the final reveal.

Although not depicted in the illustrated example, the grid, array, or other presentation of selectable elements 110 may comprise other symmetric or asymmetric geometric arrangements, in any form, and the distribution of or presentation of selectable elements may include any distribution or presentation in accord with the present concepts. Further, using the example of FIGS. 4 a-4 p as an example, walls, barriers, or other impediments to selection of selectable elements along a particular path may also be utilized.

In view of the above, in at least some aspects of the present concepts, a method for conducting a wagering game on a wagering game device 10 comprises the act of using one or more processors or controllers 34 operatively associated with the wagering game to define, in a game feature, a plurality of selectable elements 110, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards. This method further comprises the act of receiving player selections of the selectable elements 110, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements. The method further includes revealing the selectable element awards only after all player selections of the selectable elements 110 have been received and awarding to the player any selectable element awards relating to any selected selectable elements. Optionally, a player may be permitted to start the selection process over, subject to the predefined geometric rule-based constraint, with a refreshed presentation of the selectable elements 110 so long as the player has not yet selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements. Thus, if a player decides, mid-way through the selection process of selectable elements 110 that he or she does not like his or her selections, the player may elect to start over. This is permitted since the selectable element awards are not revealed to the player until after the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements.

Following completion of the player selections of the selectable elements, the values or awards associated with the selectable elements 110 selected by the player are revealed to the player. As is shown in FIG. 4 l, the selectable elements 110 _(1,4), 110 _(2,5), 110 _(3,4), 110 _(3,3), 110 _(3,2), 110 _(4,1), 110 _(5,1), 110 _(6,2), 110 _(7,3), 110 _(7,4), and 110 _(8,5) are respectively associated with awards of 20, 40, 10, 35, 25, 70, 60, 30, 40, 100, and 140 credits, for a total of 570 credits. Also revealed are the selectable elements 110 associated with “stoppers” or game-ending outcome 120, shown by way of illustration. In one aspect, the player does not discover that they selected a game-ending outcome 120 (or more than one game-ending outcome if called for by the particular game feature) until after the final reveal, at which time the player may receive nothing or, alternatively, the player may receive the sum of the awards associated with the selected selectable elements other than the game-ending outcome(s) or, in yet another aspect, the player may receive the sum of only those awards that were associated with selected selectable elements selected prior to the selection of the selectable element(s) associated with the game-ending outcome(s). In another aspect, the player's game is immediately interrupted upon the selection of a game-ending outcome 120, or a requisite number of game-ending outcomes, and the player may then receive the sum of the awards associated with the player's prior selections.

In addition to the awards noted above, or separate to the awards listed above, the present concepts also comprise one or more predefined underlying patterns that are each associated with an award, as conceptually illustrated in FIG. 4 m. FIG. 4 m shows three predefined underlying patterns 200. A first predefined underlying pattern 200 is randomly associated with selectable elements 110 _(7,2), 110 _(7,3), and 110 _(7,4). A second predefined underlying pattern 200 is randomly associated with selectable elements 110 _(2,4), 110 _(3,4), 110 _(4,4) and 110 _(5,4). A third predefined underlying pattern 200 is randomly associated with selectable elements 110 _(3,6), and 110 _(3,7).

In one aspect of the present concepts, a player is awarded an award associated with the particular predefined underlying pattern award only if they select selectable elements 110 that complete the pattern of the specified predefined underlying pattern 200. For example, if the player selects selectable elements 110 _(7,2), 110 _(7,3), and 110 _(7,4) during play of the game feature and it is later revealed that the player's selections have completed the first predefined underlying pattern shown in the example of FIG. 4 m, the player receives the additional award associated therewith. In another aspect of the present concepts, a player is awarded an award associated with the particular predefined underlying pattern award if the player select any selectable element 110 that forms a part of the specified predefined underlying pattern 200. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 l-4 m, the player has selected selectable element 110 _(3,4), which is associated with the second predefined underlying pattern award 200, as depicted, and the player has selected selectable elements 110 _(7,3) and 110 _(7,4), which are associated with the first predefined underlying pattern award 200, as depicted. This overlap is highlighted in FIG. 4 l, as shown by reference numeral 150, and may optionally be displayed to the player prior to the reveal of the predefined underlying patterns 200 to heighten the player's anticipation of the subsequent reveal of the predefined underlying pattern(s) and associated award(s).

In the case represented by FIGS. 4 l-4 n, following (or concurrent with) the reveal of FIG. 4 m, the associated awards are shown, such as is indicated by FIG. 4 n, where it is shown that the players' awards from FIG. 4 l have been multiplied by 5×, providing a separate award of 750 credits. Alternatively, rather than linking the award of a predefined underlying pattern with an award indicated by a selected selectable element 110 _(x,y), the award for the predefined underlying pattern (either as a whole or for separate constituent parts) may be independently determined. For example, the value of each constituent component of one or more of the predefined underlying patterns 200 may be randomly selected from a range of credit or monetary values. In another example, the value of each constituent component of one or more of the predefined underlying patterns 200 may be a multiplier value configured to operate on any other credit or monetary value indicated by constituent components of one or more of the predefined underlying patterns 200 for which the player is due an award. In still another example, the player may only receive a predetermined award (e.g., 200 credits for a 2 block predefined underlying pattern, 300 credits for a 3 block predefined underlying pattern, 400 credits for a 3 block predefined underlying pattern, etc.) for each completed predetermined underlying pattern), which award may be optionally modifiable by a player's initial wager or side wager.

For illustration, FIGS. 4 o-4 p show another example wherein the first predefined underlying pattern 200 is randomly associated with selectable elements 110 _(4,1) and 110 _(5,1), a second predefined underlying pattern 200 is randomly associated with selectable elements 110 _(3,3), 110 _(3,4), 110 _(3,5) and 110 _(3,6), and a third predefined underlying pattern 200 is randomly associated with selectable elements 110 _(7,5), 110 _(7,6) and 110 _(7,7). FIG. 4 p shows that, for the players' selections previously indicated in FIG. 4 l, there is overlap with the first and second predefined underlying patterns 200, as depicted in FIG. 4 o, such overlap consisting of selectable elements 110 _(4,1) and 110 _(5,1), associated with the first predefined underlying pattern 200, and selectable elements 110 _(3,3) and 110 _(3,4), associated with the second predefined underlying pattern 200. As with the illustrative example of FIG. 4 n, the players' award for selectable elements 110 _(3,3) and 110 _(3,4) from FIG. 4 l have been multiplied by 5× corresponding to the partial overlap of the second predefined underlying pattern 200. In FIG. 4 p, however, the player has been revealed to have successfully completed the first predefined underlying pattern 200 by his or her selection of selectable elements 110 _(4,1) and 110 _(5,1). Consequently, in this example, the players' awards for selectable elements 110 _(3,3) and 110 _(3,4) from FIG. 4 l have been multiplied by 10×, corresponding to the successful completion of the first predefined underlying pattern 200. Of course, as noted above, these awards are merely examples and there is no limit to the form of the award in accord with the present concepts and the award(s) for each predefined underlying pattern may include, for example, a credit value, a multiplier, an extra game, free spins, eligibility for other games or events, an enhancement in a subsequent round or separate game, etc.

Still further, the player may receive yet further awards if the player is able to successfully complete a plurality of predefined underlying patterns 200. Thus, using the prior example of FIG. 4 o, if the player selects selectable elements comprising selectable elements 110 _(4,1) and 110 _(5,1) (first predefined underlying pattern 200) and selectable elements 110 _(3,3), 110 _(3,4), 110 _(3,5) and 110 _(3,6) (a second predefined underlying pattern 200), the player can optionally receive additional awards, as highlighted by the blocks highlighted by reference numeral 210. By way of example, this additional award could entail a multiplier on the awards associated with the completed predefined underlying patterns.

In terms of game play, one embodiment of the aforementioned concepts could be implemented in a Battleship®-type game wherein the predefined underlying patterns correspond to ships in the Battleship®-type game, with a selection screen or grid appropriately sized for the number of predefined underlying patterns in play. Thus, where a player selects selectable elements comprising selectable elements corresponding to a complete predefined underlying pattern 200, the player has “sunk” that ship and will receive an award for “sinking” that ship. In accord with the Battleship®-type game, the predefined underlying patterns 200 may comprise 2, 3, 4 and 5 selectable elements. As noted above, the player may optionally receive an award for each “hit” on a ship, which award may be separate from an award for “sinking” a ship.

In some aspects of the aforementioned concepts, a player may optionally be provided with a hint prior to or during the game feature. Such hint may be offered responsive to a predetermined minimum wager (e.g., a MaxBet wager), a predetermined minimum side wager, an outcome in the base wagering game, etc., or, alternatively, a hint may be provided to the player automatically. Using such a hint, the player may query the gaming system to find out if a particular selectable element is associated with an award or a game-ending outcome. Alternatively, the player's information may be intentionally more limited, provide a player only with the ability to find out if a particular row or column includes a game-ending outcome. In this aspect, the player may, for example, query whether there is a game-ending outcome in column 6 (see, e.g., FIG. 4 l) to which the gaming system would respond affirmatively. In yet other aspects, the player is permitted to find out whether a selectable element within a certain number of adjacent selectable elements (e.g., within 2 selectable elements, within 3 selectable elements, etc.) or certain radius or a certain arc segment is associated with a game-ending outcome. In this aspect, a player having selected, for example, selectable element 110 _(3,4) in FIG. 4 c, may use his or her query to inquire as to whether there is a game-ending outcome in any of the highlighted selectable elements 110 _(3,3), 110 _(4,3), 110 _(4,4), 110 _(4,5), and 110 _(3,5) to which the gaming system would respond in the negative. Using the example of the Battleship®-type game, the hint could be themed to provide the appearance a SONAR that would “ping” the game-ending outcomes within a predefined arc segment, row, column, or the link.

In at least some more sophisticated aspects, one or more of the predefined underlying patterns 200 may be a moving target that requires the player to not only select a particular selectable element, but to also select such selectable element at an appropriate time. For example, using the above-noted example of a Battleship®-type game for illustration, one or more predefined underlying pattern(s) correspond to a corresponding ship or number of ships in the Battleship®-type game, may move from a first position at a first time (T₁) to a second position at time two (T₂), to a third position at time three (T₃) and so on, where the “time” could be measured in any manner such as, but not limited to, a clock in game time, in terms of moves by a player, etc. Using the third predefined underlying pattern 200 from FIG. 4 o, which is shown to be randomly associated with selectable elements 110 _(7,5), 110 _(7,6) and 110 _(7,7), the third underlying pattern may instead have been associated with selectable elements 110 _(7,5), 110 _(7,6) and 110 _(7,7) for the player's picks 1-5, associated with selectable elements 110 _(7,4), 110 _(7,5) and 110 _(7,6) for the player's picks 6-10, and associated with selectable elements 110 _(7,3), 110 _(7,4) and 110 _(7,5) for the player's picks 11-15. Were such to have been the case in the example shown in relation to the player's selections shown in FIGS. 4 a-4 k, the player's tenth pick at selectable element 110 _(7,4) would have been a hit instead of a miss as one end of the ship represented by selectable element 110 _(7,4), 110 _(7,5) and 110 _(7,6) was present at selectable element 110 _(7,4) at the time of player's pick. The general concept of one or more of the predefined underlying patterns 200 presenting a target defined not only by position but by time may be applied to any game theme that requires the player to select a selectable element. It also bears noting that a predefined underlying pattern 200, in accord with any of the concepts disclosed herein, could comprise a single selectable element and is not required to comprise multiple geometrically linked selectable elements or components.

In another aspect of the present concepts, as a variation of the Battleship®-type game, the player may be a submariner, a Captain in charge of a submarine, and having a predefined number of torpedoes to fire in a given field (e.g., using an X-Y coordinate system or a polar coordinate system). The “ships” represented by the predefined underlying pattern 200 may all be stationary, may all be in motion, or some may be stationary while others are in motion. Further, the number of and size of the predefined underlying pattern 200 may vary and may be any predetermined size or may be randomly determined prior to game play. In the present example, the predefined underlying patterns 200 shown in FIG. 4 o will be used for reference. In this example, it will be assumed that the initial position of the predefined underlying patterns 200 are as shown in FIG. 4 o and will remain in the those locations until the player has fired his or her first torpedo, at which time the position of the “ships” will increment by one in a selected direction (e.g., randomly selected, pseudo random selection, or even predetermined path corresponding to a facing of the ship and at least a rudimentary physics engine) for predetermined incremental movements of the torpedo.

This time-based movement based on incremental movements of the torpedo could comprise one incremental movement of a predefined underlying pattern 200 for each three movements of the player's torpedo, as illustrated in the following example, or could comprise other predetermined or randomly determined relations between the movement(s) of the ship(s) and the movement of the player's torpedo. In this case, the player fires a first torpedo (i.e., the player's first selection) from row 1 along column 7 and the torpedo travels along column 7 until it hits a ship or travels off screen (i.e., past row 8 in this example). For the first three movements of the player's torpedo from selectable element 110 _(1,7), 110 _(3,7), the ships are positioned as shown in FIG. 4 o. For the subsequent three movements of the player's torpedo from selectable element 110 _(4,7), 110 _(6,7), the first predefined underlying pattern 200 is moved to selectable elements 110 _(6,1) and 1105,₁, the second predefined underlying pattern 200 is moved to selectable elements 110 _(3,4), 110 _(3,5), 110 _(3,6) and 110 _(3,7) (i.e., a narrow miss for the player!), and the third predefined underlying pattern 200 is moved to selectable elements 110 _(7,4), 110 _(7,5) and 110 _(7,6) (i.e., another narrow miss for the player!). The subsequent two movements of the player's torpedo from selectable element 110 _(7,7) to 110 _(8,7) does not yield any hits based on the positions of the predefined underlying patterns 200. On the player's second torpedo, the player elects to fire the second torpedo from column 8 along row 3 and the torpedo travels along row 3 until it hits a ship or travels off screen (i.e., past column 1 in this example). Continuing with the aforementioned time-based movements of the predefined underlying patterns 200, the player's second torpedo hits the second predefined underlying pattern 200 at 110 _(3,7).

In some aspects, a player may be required to select torpedo launches from contiguous selectable elements. For example, first firing from row 1 along column 7, then firing from row 1 along column 6, then firing from row 1 along column 5, and perhaps then firing from row 1 along column 6 (again). In some aspects, a player may be required to launch (e.g., select order and direction of firing) all torpedoes prior to the display of the travel of the torpedoes and any hits that might occur. In some aspects, one or more torpedoes might have the capacity to steer toward (e.g., move one or more selectable element(s), arc segment(s), etc., off the original course) a ship to home in a ship. In an alternative form of display, a player may be provided a “periscope” view with a selection of angles or lanes along which torpedoes can be launched and the player then selects the sequence of shots, followed by the launching of the torpedoes, and then the wait for potential contact of the torpedoes with a target and associated award.

In other aspects, a player is permitted to fire a torpedo down a column or row and, if there is a ship in that column or row, the gaming system reveals the “hit,” giving the player a clue to a predefined underlying pattern 200 in the selection field or playing field. In this aspect, not only does the player get the award for a hit on a particular “selectable value” (the selection being, for example, the selecting timing and/or angle of the torpedo release) but the player is apprised of the potential to explore the adjacent “selectable elements” with follow-up shots to, in effect, travel up/down the ship with additional hits to not only obtain any award for the “selectable elements” but to also seek to obtain any awards associated with the predefined underlying pattern 200. Thus, in general, for any of the disclosed aspects, clues may optionally be given to the player to help the player appreciate that they have hit upon a predefined underlying pattern 200. Of course, the benefit to the player of such information is diminished somewhat for time-based, predefined underlying patterns 200, where movement of the predefined underlying patterns 200 may affect the effect of the player's selections. If, however, the player made the selections in quick succession, without initially waiting for the informational feedback, the potential for successive hits on a predefined underlying pattern 200 could potentially be increased.

In any of the above-described aspects, or in any other aspect disclosed herein, the player's selections may be geometrically and/or temporally connected or constrained. For example, a player may only be permitted to fire torpedoes sequentially along adjacent angles (e.g., 5 degrees starboard, then 10 degrees starboard), and/or within a preset time limit. As an alternative temporal limitation, a player may opt to have all torpedoes arrive at designated distances, angles, grid coordinates, or the like synchronously, such as by having different velocities for each torpedo to account for the difference in firing times.

In yet other aspects of time-based, predefined underlying patterns 200, a goal may alternatively be to avoid selecting a selectable element that is associated with a predefined underlying patterns 200. Using the above-noted Battleship®-type game feature theme, a game feature may require the player to successfully navigate (i.e., without selecting a selectable element 110 associated with a predefined underlying pattern 200) through obstacles to reach a predetermined destination. If the player does select a selectable element 110 associated with a predefined underlying pattern 200, a negative effect such as a decrease of the values associated with the selectable elements 110 may occur, a multiplier value may be reduced, etc. In one aspect, when a player selects a selectable element 110 associated with a predefined underlying pattern 200 (e.g., a “hit” on a ship), the award values associated with a group of selectable elements 110 is reduced from an initial value. The group may comprise, for example, the adjoining selectable elements, all selectable elements in a row, all selectable elements in a column, or selectable elements in a predetermined plurality of rows and/or columns up to and including all selectable elements. Thus, in one aspect, a player may traverse the selection field trying to avoid ships and, the moment the player hits a ship, the award values for all selectable elements are automatically reduced. The more ships that the player hits, the lower and lower the award values become. In at least some aspects, since neither the awards associated with the selectable elements 110 or the predefined underlying patterns 200 are revealed to the player during the selection process of the selectable elements 110, the player is initially unaware of the hit on the ship decrease in award values. In some other aspects, however, a player may be informed that he or she has hit a ship, but with appurtenant limitations (e.g., a player may request that he or she be notified of such occurrence, but forfeits the ability to redo selections prior to and including the hit, etc.).

In still other aspects (e.g., other assigned “missions”), a player may be prompted in the game feature to “hide” his or her assigned ships while the computer performs random selections similar to that noted above in an effort to sink or hit the players ships, with each hit decrementing a player's potential award. For example, a player may be initially granted a predetermined base award at the beginning of the game feature, such base award being decreased with each hit. As another example, each round (e.g., selection by the controller) that the player can go through without a hit may yield an award and, consequently, each hit would take from such accumulated award.

Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims. By way of example, any of the above concepts, singly or in combination, may be embodied in a competitive or a collaborative game feature where players compete against one another or work with each other. Thus, in the Battleship®-type game feature, players (or teams of players) may vie head to head to eliminate one or more of the other player's ships, with corresponding awards being awarded for successful hits. Constraints may be employed to minimize or avoid the potential for collusion, such as by, for example, arranging the award to be divided between the winning and losing players, with the bulk of the pot going to the winner(s). In still other variations, a player is permitted to save his or her progress in the gaming system or on a physical storage medium for continued play at a later time. In yet other variations, a player is permitted to reach a “checkpoint” or safe point along the field of selectable elements and save the player's progress at that point and reveal the awards accumulated up to that point. In other aspects, a player's completion of a predefined underlying pattern 200 may cause a reduction in the number of game-ending outcomes that may be associated with one or more of the selectable elements. In another aspect, a portion of a predefined underlying pattern 200 could be made visible to the player following selection of a selectable element associated with the predefined underlying pattern 200. The player may, in view of the revealed portion of the predefined underlying pattern 200, may an educated guess as to the nature or meaning of the pattern to make subsequent selections. For example, the predefined underlying pattern 200 may comprise one or more numbers and the player could receive a predefined underlying pattern 200 award for completely revealing the number. In this example, the player, once identifying the shape of a number, can then base subsequent selections of selectable elements under which the player thinks the remaining components of the number reside. 

1. A method for conducting a wagering game on a wagering game device, the method comprising the acts of: using one or more processors operatively associated with the wagering game, defining in a game feature a plurality of selectable elements, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards; receiving player selections of the selectable elements, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements; revealing the selectable element awards only after all player selections of the selectable elements have been received; and awarding to the player any selectable element awards relating to any selected selectable elements.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint requires each successive selection of a selectable element to be adjacent a previously selected selectable element.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint further requires that each successive selection of a selectable element of the same rank or of a higher rank.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein a player starts selection of the selectable elements at a first rank and continues selection of selectable elements, subject to the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed a selection from among the selectable elements in the last rank.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one selectable element is associated with a selectable element award that adds an additional plurality of selectable elements for selection.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional plurality of selectable elements have a higher rank than any previously selected selectable element.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a wager via a wager input device; using the one or more processors, randomly determining the wagering game outcome; displaying the wagering game outcome on the display; and activating the game feature if the wagering game outcome includes a game element comprising a game feature trigger.
 8. A method for conducting a wagering game on a wagering game device, the method comprising the acts of: using one or more processors operatively associated with the wagering game, defining in a game feature a plurality of selectable elements, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards; using the one or more processors, defining in the game feature one or more predefined underlying patterns, the predefined underlying patterns being associated with predefined underlying pattern awards; receiving player selections of the selectable elements, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements; and awarding to the player an award relating to any award associated with any selected selectable elements and relating to any award associated with any selected predefined underlying pattern of selectable elements.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint requires each successive selection of a selectable element to be adjacent a previously selected selectable element.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint further requires that each successive selection of a selectable element of the same rank or of a higher rank.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein a player starts selection of the selectable elements at a first rank and continues selection of selectable elements, subject to the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed a selection from among the selectable elements in the last rank.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one selectable element is associated with a selectable element award that adds an additional plurality of selectable elements for selection, the additional plurality of selectable elements having a higher rank than any previously selected selectable element.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one selectable element is associated with a selectable element award that leads the player to another field of selectable elements.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more predefined underlying patterns comprise at least one pattern associated with a plurality of selectable elements.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors define in the game feature a plurality of predefined underlying patterns, each of the predefined underlying patterns being associated with a predefined underlying pattern award.
 16. The method of claim 8, wherein at least two of the predefined underlying patterns are different and wherein said at least two of the predefined underlying patterns are each associated with a different predefined underlying pattern award.
 17. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one predefined underlying pattern award adds an additional plurality of selectable elements for selection.
 18. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one predefined underlying pattern award moves from an initial position to at least one other position during the game feature.
 19. The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving a wager via a wager input device; using the one or more processors, randomly determining the wagering game outcome; displaying the wagering game outcome on the display; and activating the game feature if the wagering game outcome includes a game element comprising a game feature trigger.
 20. A gaming system configured to play a wagering game and a game feature, comprising: a display device; at least one controller operatively associated with the wagering game, the game feature and the display device, the controller being operative to execute instructions borne by a physical storage medium, the instructions causing the controller to perform the acts of: defining, in the game feature, which is activated by the wagering game, a plurality of selectable elements, at least some of the plurality of selectable elements being associated with selectable element awards; defining in the game feature one or more predefined underlying patterns, the predefined underlying patterns being associated with predefined underlying pattern awards; receiving player selections of the selectable elements, subject to a predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed selections from among the plurality of selectable elements; and awarding to the player an award relating to any award associated with any selected selectable elements and relating to any award associated with any selected predefined underlying pattern of selectable elements.
 21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint requires each successive selection of a selectable element to be adjacent a previously selected selectable element.
 22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint further requires that each successive selection of a selectable element of the same rank or of a higher rank.
 23. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein the controller is configured, via the instructions, to permit a player to start a selection of the selectable elements at a first rank and to continue selecting selectable elements, subject to the predefined geometric rule-based selection constraint, until the player has either selected a selectable element associated with a game-ending outcome or completed a selection from among the selectable elements in the last rank.
 24. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein at least one selectable element is associated with a selectable element award that adds an additional plurality of selectable elements for selection.
 25. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the additional plurality of selectable elements have a higher rank than any previously selected selectable element. 